A PROPER RESPONSE TO GRACE
Scripture: 2Peter 1:5-15
5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. 12 Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. 13 I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, 14 knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you will be able to call these things to mind.
1) REQUIRES A PROPER UNDERSTANDING OF GRACE
a) (Vs 5) “For this very reason” refers to what has been said in the previous verses
i) That we have been made the recipients of Grace
(1) Through no act or merit of ours
(2) Receiving faith – as a gift of God
(3) Receiving righteousness
(4) Receiving Grace and Peace
(5) Received everything that pertains to life & Godliness
(a) All through the personal knowledge of HIM
b) What God will ask/require of us is not without reason
i) Instead it is most reasonable
(1) Our devotion, commitment and even sacrifices are “reasonable” when you have a proper understanding of what we have been given in Christ Jesus
2) REQUIRES A PROPER EVALUATION OF GRACE
a) We have been granted precious and magnificent promises
b) These very promises are what the keys by which we enter through the door of Eternal life, become partakers of the “divine nature”
i) Being born again, born from above, born of the Spirit,
c) Escape the “corruption” death and judgment brought about by the lust of the flesh
i) Not only in the final judgment but even now we are set free in Christ to serve the righteousness of God
ii) To experience Freedom and victory in Jesus Christ
d) Those who do not:
i) Understand what they have received by grace
ii) Have a proper evaluation of their worth will surely never rise to the levels of devotion, commitment and sacrifice that the gospel will call forth in their lives.
e) Only proper evaluation & understanding of what Christ has provided us will produce a proper response
3) A Proper Response Requires Due Diligence
(vs. 5 “applying all diligence”)
a) God has done His part now we must do ours
i) This is not to say that we somehow share the responsibility for our salvation
(1) We can do nothing to pay for it or to earn it
(2) It is a free gift
ii) But our part is to ensure a correct and proper response to the free Gift that we have received through the knowledge of Jesus Christ
(1) The proper response of which is as the scripture state is to “Apply all diligence”
(a) It is “Our” responsibility
(b) To make Maximum effort
(c) You cannot live the Christian life to the honor of God without effort
(d) Though God pours his divine power into every believer, the Christian himself is required to make every disciplined effort in cooperation with what God has done.
(i) Phil 2:12 .. “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling..”
(ii) Col 1:28 “Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
Vs 5. “in your faith supply”
b) Supply here means to give lavishly and generously
i) Grk wd used of a choir master who is responsible to provide everything needed for his choir
ii) Never meant to equip sparingly but rather lavishly as for a noble performance
c) “God has given us faith and all the graces necessary for godliness (vv. 3, 4). We add to those by our diligent devotion to personal righteousness. ”
d) 6 AREAS OF PERSONAL RIGHTEOUSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY:
i) Moral Excellence
(1) Original classical grk usage meant a god given ability to perform heroic deeds
(2) It came to mean that quality of life that makes one to standout as excellent
(a) Doesn’t refer to a hidden excellence
(b) Meant one that is openly demonstrated in life
(3) Peter speaks here of a Moral Energy
(a) To perform deeds of excellence
(b) As Eph 2:10 states we are “His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them
(c) The Christian’s walk is to be a walk of moral purity and integrity
(d) It is to be a walk of moral excellence that sets us apart from the world
(e) God calls every believer to a walk of moral excellence – not just some or a few but every believer. It is our proper response to the grace that he has vested us with.
ii) Knowledge
(1) Understanding, correct insight,
(2) This involves the diligent study and pursuit of truth in the Word of God
(a) It is every believers responsibility to be a diligent student of the word of God
(b) Ignorance is not an option for the believer
(c) You have been the recipient of God’s amazing grace, power and promises, therefore it is your responsibility (response ability) to diligently apply yourself to the study of the word, to the understanding and application of truth. Anything less is inappropriate and unacceptable
(i) When do you sharpen your knowledge and understanding of the word of God
(ii) Is it only when you come to church on Sunday? Does that qualify as one who is applying all diligence?
1. Yes the Church has a role to play
a. Through the Preaching of the word
b. Through the teaching of the word
i. Sunday School
ii. Class 101, 201, 301
iii. Small Group
2. But you cannot neglect your personal responsibility to “Study the Word
iii) Self-control
(1) The term self-control speaks of restrain similar to that used of an athlete
(2) As a Christian “we” are to exercise “self-control” or discipline in the areas of our flesh, passions and physical desires. We are to be in control of them rather than be controlled by them
(3) Paul says, “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become qdisqualified.”
iv) Perseverance
(1) That is, patience or endurance in doing what is right, never giving in to temptation or trial. Perseverance is that spiritual staying power that will die before it gives in. It is the virtue which can endure, not simply with resignation, but with a vibrant hope.
v) Godliness
(1) To be godly is to live reverently, loyally, and obediently toward God.
(2) Since God has already provided everything we need to live Godly, it is now only a matter of us exercising and putting into practice what he has already given us in Christ.
vi) Brotherly Kindness
(1) brotherly affection, mutual sacrifice for one another
(2) 20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also 2Pe 1:17
(a) Is there anyone in the body of Christ that you have difficulty in loving? Being kind to? Do you only show kindness and love to those whom you “Like” or are you able to do as Christ asks of you and show brotherly kindness to all the brothers and sisters.
(3) 8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”
(a) Here again, is not the concept of “hiding sin” as some would suggest but rather realizing that if someone sins there is a covering for that sin. And what has been covered by the blood of Christ is no longer under condemnation! Rather is free from all condemnation. Therefore we ought not to hold any condemnation in our hearts towards them.
e) The Consequence of Neglect
i) If someone should neglect these areas of their life God’s Word says that such people are blind or short-sighted.
ii) They have forgotten how God has purged and cleansed them of sin and of the eternal significance and instead they are living only to gratify themselves and their flesh.
(1) Failure to pursue diligently these characteristic in our life produces spiritual amnesia
iii) He is no longer distinguishable from an evil doer or superficial believer
iv) They are unable to discern their true spiritual condition and thus have no assurance of their salvation, and will live in fear and doubt
f) The Fruit of Diligence
Vs.8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true bknowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1. Not the conditional…. “if”
a. This is conditional upon us to be diligent and possess them
2. We are not to only possess them, but they are to be increasing
a. We are to never feel we have arrived or matured enough.
b. There is to be in every believer in the area of spiritual growth and hung a Holy Discontent. A sense that we want to grow and go deeper with God and in our personal holiness/separation for God
3. They render you neither useless or unfruitful
a. To be useless is to be inactive, indolent and empty
b. Unfruitful is to be unproductive
c. In other words if you ensure that these qualities are in your life in an ever increasing way they will ensure your life for God is both fruitful and active for the Glory of God
4. Their life will manifest the presence of the divine nature within
5. They will possess an assurance – they will see themselves constantly growing in grace, they see their lives producing fruit to the Glory of God, as such they will not Stumble into doubt, despair or fear, rather they will rejoice in their salvation
6. They will not only have an assurance here on earth but God will also grant them an abundant entrance into heaven. None of this entering by the skin of your teeth business, no instead it will by proclamation from the Lord, “Enter into the Joy of your Lord”
PETER’S Motivation
12 Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in bthe truth which is present with you. 13 I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, 14 knowing that athe laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you will be able to call these things to mind.
Peter sees the long term impact of these truths, and feels it is right and proper that he continuously reminds them of it, to stir them up. He knows his life is not forever, infact he sees his end is near. His whole purpose is so that when he has left this world, the believer is equipped to continue on.
